The first days back to school set the stage for your entire year. Before I dive into the curriculum, I want my students to know how much I value them, and I work to connect with them from the moment they walk in. The classroom management activities I use in those first days of middle school are less about rules and more about building a class community where students feel comfortable enough to learn.
“My students don't need me to learn. They need me to care.”-Liz Galarza
Here are the strategies and activities I implement with my middle school students at the beginning of the school year to set expectations and build connection from day one.
Getting to Know You Activities
Featured Resource: Getting to Know You Chit Chat Cards
Speaking and listening are critical at all grade levels. I need my students to be able to communicate clearly with one another as well as listen and understand. Classroom communities grow more effectively when students recognize the importance of being both thoughtful communicators and listeners. What better time to grow that classroom community than in the first days of the school year?
I created this classroom management activity that helps my students get to know one another better by listening and chatting. It is a great way to practice thoughtful and purposeful communication within the classroom. I simply download the PDF, print, laminate, hole punch, and combine these chit-chat cards with a book ring. I distribute one to each partner set and allow my students to share their thoughts with a partner or in a small group to truly enhance their connection with one another, focus, and discussion. This is the ideal tool for the first days of school!
Meet Your Classmates
Featured Resource: Digital Meet Our Class for Google Slides
I am always trying to find ways to connect with my students from the moment they enter the classroom, engaging them in thoughtful work. This is the perfect activity to tackle with students on the very first day.
When students are finished creating their slide, they can present it, share one aspect of it, or have it read silently by their classmates. Finally, I post our completed slide deck on my Schoology page for students to read through on their own and to generate a classroom playlist based on the “walk-up songs” they share. I love playing music in the classroom during work hours, and this is the perfect way to create a playlist (edited, of course) that includes everyone's contributions.
Classroom Acclimation Stations
Featured Resource: Back to School Stations for Middle School
The first days of school can feel overwhelming to my new students, who are facing new learning environments, new teachers, new classmates, etc. Just as I don't want to be talked to all day, I recognize the same is especially true for my students. So we hit the ground running with a few “acclimation stations.”
I created this back-to-school stations resource to help ease my students back into work mode through digital stations. The four stations I included are Email Etiquette, One Word Memoir, Words of Inspiration, and the Expectation Station.
From these stations, I can gauge a bit about my newest learners in terms of direction-following, work/task completion, work independence or need for support, and effort level. My students arrive from very different places, and these station activities allow me to see them in action and meet them where they are from the very first day.
Classroom Expectations Display
Featured Resource: Classroom Expectations Display and Discuss
I donât implement rules; instead, I share my âClassroom Expectationsâ with my students and keep them on display at the front of my ELA classroom. I created these as positive visual reminders for my students. I also made corresponding task cards to give students an opportunity to discuss these expectations and begin implementing them in week #1.
This printable PDF resource is the perfect print-and-go classroom display to implement expectations while engaging students in thoughtful discussion.
Why the First Weeks Set Up Classroom Management All Year
Classroom management in middle school boils down to the relationships and routines you build before the first quiz. When students trust the community and know exactly what to expect, the behavior piece gets dramatically easier. Every activity below I use in week one does double duty: it helps students connect AND it establishes the expectations that keep your classroom running smoothly for the next nine months.
Best of luck as you navigate the amazing year ahead with your incredible students.
